


Turnabout Is Fair Play - Sequel to A Model Romance

by Dextrousleftie



Category: Fruits Basket
Genre: Anal Sex, Fluff and Angst, Gay Romance, Love, Lust, M/M, Oral Sex, Rimming
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-09-15 19:38:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9252923
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dextrousleftie/pseuds/Dextrousleftie
Summary: Aoshi brings his good friend Yuuji to meet his friend Aya. What will happen when the two men meet? And when Yuuji gives Yuki some much needed advice, will it make him look at his cousin Hatsuharu in a new light?





	1. Chapter 1

A/NL Here is the sequel to A Model Romance, just for you, Kuroneko, my bestest fan ever! :P Enjoy. -DL

 

Sohma Ayame was in an excellent mood. His shop was doing better than ever, his brother Yuki seemed to be thawing toward him a bit at last, and he’d actually managed to get Hatori to admit that he was right about something. Life was good.

Granted, it had been almost two months since Hatori had said those magic words, but the glow still hadn’t faded for Aya. He knew that he’d probably have to savor the admission for a long, long time to come, because Hatori would most likely never say such a thing to him again. Especially now that Aya had annoyed him severely by becoming even more swollen-headed than usual.

Aya didn’t see any reason not to allow himself the ego boost. If he hadn’t introduced his sweet Ritsu-chan to his friend Aoshi, most likely the poor little monkey would still be a nervous, anxious wreck. Living with Aoshi had changed Ritsu all out of recognition, and in the process had made Aya’s young friend Aoshi very happy, as well. It was a very good thing that he’d done, and Aya intended to milk the satisfaction he felt for all it was worth.

 

Pottering about his shop one afternoon, Aya hummed to himself as he straightened stock on the shelves. Mine, busy dusting, smiled at the back of her boss’s head. He sure had been in a good mood lately. While Mine rather missed young Ritsu, who didn’t work in the shop anymore now that he was living with Aoshi-san, seeing Aya so cheerful was compensation enough. She ran the feather duster over one of the shelves, appropriately since she was wearing one of the maid’s uniforms they sold.

The bell over the door jingled, and Aya looked up to see Aoshi walk into the store, followed by another man. Aya smiled widely and hurried over to greet his young friend. “Aoshi-kun!” he cried in delight. “How are you? How is my sweet Ri-chan?”

Aoshi smiled. “I’m fine, Aya-san,” he replied quietly. “And Ritsu is just as he always is - absolutely perfect.”

Aya beamed to hear such praise of Ritsu. Aoshi adored his lover. “What brings you here today, Aoshi-kun?” he asked next. “Not that I am not delighted by your visit, mind you…”

Aoshi laughed at Aya’s flamboyancy. “Actually, I brought a friend with me today who requires your expertise. Sohma Ayame, this is my friend, Murosaki Yuuji.”

Aoshi stepped a bit to the side while he made the introductions, so that his height wasn’t blocking Aya’s view of the man standing just behind and to the side of him. Aya found himself looking into a pair of amused, wicked-looking blue-grey eyes. The corners of a rather wide mouth curled up in a lazily sexy smile, and the man spoke in a deep, rather harsh voice that made something in Aya resonate in response. “This is a nice place you have, Pretty One. Aoshi-kun tells me you design special clothes. I find myself in need of a very special gift. I’m hoping you can help me.”

Aya’s mouth opened, but no sounds came out. His platinum-colored eyes were a tad wide, and he found himself breathing rather heavily. He couldn’t seem to look away from the stare that seemed to be pinning him in place. One hand fluttered unconsciously to his breast, as the very air seemed to thicken between himself and the other man.

Aoshi raised his eyebrows a little as he looked between the two men. While he would admit that he’d brought Yuuji today to meet Aya partially because he’d thought they might hit it off, whatever seemed to be happening between the two was rather unexpected. Not love at first sight, but maybe lust. Or maybe something more. Curious, he decided to see how this played out.

Aya finally found his voice. “A gift? What kind of gift?” he asked.

Yuuji’s smile widened until there was something of the Cheshire cat in it. “An engagement gift, actually. The wedding's in a little over a month, and I just wanted to get the ‘bride’ something special. Preferably something sexy. If this helps, I brought a picture.”

He produced a picture from the inner pocket of the black jacket he was wearing, and handed it to Aya. Their fingertips lightly brushed, and Aya nearly trembled at the contact. Dumbly he stared down at the photo, which was of a lovely, gentle-faced young man with red hair. He was smiling lovingly at whoever was taking the photo, and his hazel eyes were full of sweetness and adoration. Aya hated him on sight. “That’s Yoshi-kun,” Yuuji said fondly. “So what do you think, Aya-san? Do you have anything dazzling enough to complement him?”

Aya felt rather sick. His shoulders drooped a bit as he said rather mournfully, “Yes, I’ve got just the thing. Let me fetch it out of the back.” He walked away, his movements slower and less bouncy than they had been a few minutes ago.

The two men watched his retreat. Aoshi sighed in exasperation. “You, Yuuji-san, are a full-blown bastard,” he remarked in disgust.

Yuuji stuck his hands in his coat pockets, and gave Aoshi a mock-innocent look. “Why, Aoshi-kun, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Aoshi narrowed his eyes. “You know very well what I’m talking about. Letting Aya-san think that you’re the one getting married. As if that would ever happen.” The rebuke in his voice was clear, but it didn’t faze Yuuji one bit.

“First of all, I never outright told him that I was the one getting married, he just assumed that,” he pointed out. “One should never assume anything. Second, I’m pretty sure that I know what I’m doing, Aoshi-kun. Have a little more faith in me.”

Aoshi rolled his eyes. “Who said that I have any faith in you at all?” He remarked coolly.

“Touché. But you’re the one who brought me here, kid, so whatever happens will be your fault,” he grinned disarmingly at Aoshi, which made the model blow out his breath in exasperated annoyance.

“Are you going to tell him that Yoshi’s engaged to your cousin Kenishiro?” Aoshi demanded.

Yuuji’s mouth quirked. “Yep. In my own sweet time, of course.”

Aoshi sighed. Honestly, he sometimes wondered why he liked Yuuji so much. Maybe because he was basically a decent person. Well, sometimes, anyway. “Why do I put up with you?” he asked of no one in particular.

Yuuji chuckled. “You know you love me, Aoshi-kun. Think of how dull your life would be without me to entertain you.”

“I’m thinking,” Aoshi replied menacingly. Yuuji laughed aloud, and the sound reached Aya’s ears as he returned from the back carrying a piece of clothing draped over his arm. It actually made him stop in his tracks for a moment, and his eyes went blank as his brain seemed to seize up. He shook his head to clear it, and continued into the store toward where the two men were waiting.

“I think this might be what you’re looking for,” Aya said to Yuuji, displaying what he was carrying.

He held a piece of lingerie, a long sweep of emerald silk with spaghetti straps and a slit up one side. Yuuji blinked, and then smiled approvingly at Aya. The poor snake nearly melted into a puddle on the spot. “It’s perfect,” Yuuji said. “I’m sure that Yoshi-kun will look wonderful in it. Arigatou, Sohma-san.”

Aya felt two conflicting emotions at once. He was gratified that the attractive man liked his design, and he was feeling amazingly jealous of the redhead from the photo, who would be wearing it. As always, his ego won out, and he nodded in acceptance of Yuuji’s approval. “Shall I wrap it up for you?”

Yuuji nodded. “Would you, Pretty One? I’m afraid I’m all thumbs.”

Aya went to find a box and wrap up the gift, leaving the two men alone once again. Aoshi eyed Yuuji. “What’s with the nickname, Yuuji-san?”

Yuuji shrugged. “It suits him,” he replied simply. There was a small smile on his face, and his eyes held a wicked gleam that Aoshi wasn’t sure that he liked the look of. It didn’t bode well for Aya-san.

“Are you going to tell me why you’re letting him believe that you’re happily engaged to be married?”

Yuuji sighed. “I probably shouldn’t, but you’ll just keep looking at me like I’m the lowest form of life if I don’t. Someone as fabulous as that has probably had hundreds of men hit on him. He’s been able to pick and choose at his leisure, and he most likely defines the term ‘casual sex’. If I started something with him now, he might come to see me as just another of his conquests. If it’s too easy for him, he won’t respect it as much. I’m going to pique his interest and frustrate him a bit, so that when I finally make my move, you can be sure that I won’t fall into the category of ‘just another good lay’.”

Aoshi looked faintly surprised. “Since when do you care about anything but no-strings attached sex, Yuuji-san? I thought a situation like that would be ideal for you.”

A peculiar look chased across Yuuji’s face, and Aoshi could have kicked himself when he realized that Yuuji had been acting instinctively and not consciously when he set out to grab Aya’s attention. Now he’d be thinking about why he was acting that way, and he might be disturbed enough by his own uncharacteristic reaction to Aya that he might just retreat totally. The model cursed fluently inside his own head at his blunder, but he didn’t have a chance to say anything, because Aya returned with a beautifully gift-wrapped box in his hands.

Yuuji’s brows were drawn together in thought, but when Aya appeared he snapped out of whatever thoughts he was currently entertaining and conjured up a satisfied smile for the snake. “That looks great. How much do I owe you?” he fished a credit card out of his wallet, and handed it to Aya. He made sure that their fingers didn’t brush this time.

Aya took the card behind the counter and ran it through the machine. He put the wrapped package in a gift bag and came back out to hand it to Yuuji. The photographer took it with a pleased nod. “The engagement party’s in two days. You’ve saved my hide, Pretty One. Much thanks.”

Aya nodded his head slightly, uncharacteristically silent. Aoshi threw him a concerned look out of the corner of his eye. Yuuji turned to Aoshi and made a motion with his head. “We’ve got to go, Aoshi-kun. We’re due at the shoot.”

Aoshi nodded. He turned to Aya and reached out to take his hand. He gently squeezed his fingers, trying to project all of the affection he felt for him into the gesture. “I’ll see you later, Aya-san,” he said gently. “And I’ll make sure that Ri-chan stops by sometime soon, as well. Take care of yourself.”

Aya conjured up a smile for his young friend. “That would be lovely, Aoshi-kun,” he said with as much enthusiasm as he could muster. Somehow, he forced himself not to stare at the man standing just behind Aoshi. It was ridiculous, anyway, for a man of his years to be mooning over a complete stranger as though he were fifteen again.

Aoshi reluctantly left. Yuuji cast Aya one last enigmatic glance before he left with the model. Aya stood and watched the two men walk out of the shop, his shoulders sagging. One hand crept up to play with his thick braid of silvery hair, an unconscious gesture that he did when he was either feeling pleased with himself or he was unhappy. In this case, it wasn’t the first one. His good mood seemed to have evaporated completely, leaving him feeling forlorn and rather depressed.

Mine, who’d been in the back fetching some stock and so had missed the entire thing, emerged to find Aya standing very still near the door. She stared at him, wondering why he seemed so different than he had just a few minutes ago. “Uh, Boss?” she said tentatively.

Aya stirred and looked at her over his shoulder. His eyes looked almost blank, and his face was paler than usual. “Yes, what is it, Mine?” he said quietly, in such a subdued way that Mine was taken aback. She hadn’t seen him this down since he was having troubles with his brother Yuki. What had happened to shift him from the nearly incandescent mood he’d been in not an hour ago?

“You all right, Boss?” she asked worriedly.

Aya shrugged wearily. “Yes, I’m fine,” he replied flatly. “I’m going into the back for awhile, Mine,” he turned slowly and walked by her, while Mine stood and stared after him in puzzled concern.

 

Three days passed. Aya remained moody and (for him) very quiet, making Mine feel rather frantic. She pressed him to tell her what was wrong, but he would merely wave a languid hand in the air and tell her that he was fine, just fine. She could tell that he was anything but, but she didn’t know what to do to break him out of his funk and return him to the bright, cheerful person he normally was. Sometimes he would sit in the back and stare at nothing for long minutes, and Mine found this behavior the most disturbing of all.

She was overjoyed when on the third day, the door of the shop opened and Hatori, Shigure, and Yuki walked in. Yuki looked a bit mutinous, because Hatori and Shigure had pretty much told him he was coming to see his brother or else. Yuki hated coming to the shop. The things his brother sold there just embarrassed him to no end. He stood with his arms crossed just inside the door as Hatori and Shigure came farther in in search of Aya.

Mine rushed up to them and bowed. "Hatori-san! Shigure-san! How glad I am to see you!” she cried fervently.

Hatori raised an eyebrow silently at her vehemence. Shigure cocked his head in dog-like puzzlement. “It’s good to see you, too, Mine,” he said in his light, cheerful voice. “Where’s Aya?”

“In the back,” Mine said hurriedly. “Listen, I need your help. There’s something wrong with the Boss…”

Hatori looked baffled at her outburst. “Is he sick?” enquired the doctor.

Mine shook her head. “I don’t think so, but he’s been acting weird since Monday. I’ve never seen him like this. Maybe it’ll cheer him up to see you here. You and Yuki-san,” she said, looking at the boy who’d advanced closer to hear what she was saying.

The two older men exchanged concerned glances. Mine wasn’t the type to overreact, so if she was worried about Aya then there must be something wrong. “I’ll go get him,” blurted Mine, and hurried off in a swirl of (nurse's) skirts to fetch Aya.

“What did she say?” Yuki asked curiously. 

Shigure shook his head. “She said that she thought that there was something wrong with Aya,” he replied.

Yuki’s brows drew together. “What, like physically wrong?” he asked, feeling a small twinge of concern for his brother.

Hatori shook his head. “She said that he wasn’t sick. Just that he seemed to be acting strangely. We’ll see…” he began, but just then Aya emerged into the outer part of the shop through the curtains.

Shigure drew in a shocked breath when he saw Aya’s face. Hatori made an aborted move in Aya’s direction, and even Yuki gasped. Aya was pale, paler than usual, and there were dark circles under his eyes as though he hadn’t been sleeping properly. There was a distinct droop to his usually confidently erect shoulders, and his eyes were platinum pools of sadness. He carried himself with care, as though he’d become brittle or was in pain.

“ ‘tori, ‘Gure, Yuki,” he said quietly, a small smile flitting across his mouth and disappearing as quickly as it had come. “How nice to see you all.” He sounded genuinely pleased to see them, although his voice was low and lifeless compared to his normal robust tones.

“Aya,” Shigure began uncertainly, wanting to outright demand to know what had reduced his friend to this state.

“Please, sit down. I’ll have Mine make us some tea,” Aya said, waving at the couches. His three visitors exchanged glances and then sat down. All of them watched Aya talk to Mine, and even Yuki was shocked by the change in his brother. While he didn’t always like Aya’s flamboyant, over-the-top personality, this new Aya was worrisome in the extreme.

Aya came to sit on the couch next to Shigure, and the dog gently touched his knee. Aya smiled briefly at him, before lapsing once more into solemnity. One hand crept up to fiddle with his braid, as Hatori decided to take matters into his own hands and outright demand that Aya tell him what was wrong. While Hatori was often driven to distraction by his friend, he had always liked Aya just as he was. This shadow of Aya’s normal personality was very upsetting.

Hatori leaned forward. "Aya...” he began firmly, intending to get the truth out of Aya no matter what.

“Yes, ‘tori?” Aya said, sounding indifferent.

Hatori opened his mouth to speak again, but was interrupted by the bell over the door as someone entered the shop. Exasperated, Hatori sat back and resigned himself to waiting until the customer had left the shop before trying once more to grill Aya.

Aya hadn’t moved when the bell went. Instead of waiting up front, the man strolled into the back of the shop. Shigure, seated next to Aya, looked up to see a stocky, strongly-built man with a lazily insolent smile, and a sharp pair of blue-gray eyes walk from between the shelves and stop at the sight of the small group sitting on the couches.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked, in a deep, rather harsh voice. “I could come back later.”

Shigure heard Aya gasp. He felt Aya’s body stiffen, and turning his head swiftly he saw Aya come to life almost magically. The platinum eyes were suddenly alert, as they focused on the face of the stranger, and he leaned forward as though he were coiling himself to jump up off the couch at any moment and dash over to him. He almost seemed to vibrate with a contained energy. Shigure had never seen this reaction to anyone else in Aya. He glanced over swiftly at Hatori, and saw that the dragon had noted the same thing that he had. The two men communicated silently with their eyes, and Hatori got swiftly to his feet.

“No, we have to be going,” he said to the stranger coolly. “We’ll come back another time, Aya,” he added, although Shigure wasn’t sure that the snake even heard him.

Yuki looked startled but not displeased to be dragged back out of the shop after being here for such a short time. But he did ask: “Hatori, why…?” as Hatori was herding him out the door.

“Never mind, Yuki-kun,” Shigure remarked. The dog paused to look back over his shoulder once, before he joined the other two on the sidewalk. “Aya just has some business to take care of.”

 

Inside the shop, Aya still hadn’t moved from his position on the couch. Yuuji studied his face thoughtfully, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the way his hands gripped his knees tightly as though to anchor himself. He sighed silently. 'Aoshi’s right' he thought ruefully. 'I can be a bastard, sometimes.'

“Hello, Pretty One,” was all he said aloud. “I just came to thank you again for the gift. Yoshi-kun adored it. So did Kenishiro-kun, for that matter. He can’t wait for the honeymoon.”

Aya blinked. It took a moment for his brain to process what Yuuji had said. Then he frowned a bit as he asked: “Kenishiro-kun? Who is Kenishiro-kun?”

Yuuji’s mouth quirked up at one corner. He looked like a little boy sheepishly admitting that he broke the neighbor’s window with a baseball. “Kenishiro-kun’s my cousin,” he said. “Yoshi-kun’s fiancé.”

Aya’s mouth dropped open, as he stared in disbelief at Yuuji. Then, as he finally registered just what Yuuji had said, rage flashed in his platinum eyes and he came off the couch with a hiss. Yuuji braced himself as the furious snake advanced on him. “You lied to me!” snarled Aya, and Yuuji mentally enjoyed the sight of the flushed, angry man stalking toward him. He was magnificent in his rage.

Yuuji’s eyes widened a bit as one of Aya’s long-fingered hands closed on his sleeve. A surprisingly strong, sinewy arm yanked him forward off-balance, then pushed him backward before he could recover his equilibrium. He fell back onto one of the couches, then the breath whooshed out of him as Aya threw himself onto his lap with some force, and put his hands on Yuuji’s shoulders to pin him in place.

Aya brought his face close to Yuuji’s. Even now, the photographer was more excited and aroused than scared, despite the ferocity burning in Aya’s large, liquid eyes. “Kuso,” hissed Aya, looking like he might be considering strangling Yuuji on the spot.

“I must protest. I didn’t lie to you,” Yuuji said calmly, meeting Aya’s irate stare without fear.

Aya’s eyes narrowed. “You told me you were getting married.” He snarled.

Yuuji shook his head. “No, I didn’t. Think back, Pretty One. I never once outright told you that I was the one marrying Yoshi-kun. You just assumed that I was.”

Aya reared back a bit as he thought back to three days ago. A strong sense of mortification flashed through him, as he realized the Yuuji was right. Not once had the infuriating man whose lap he was presently straddling ever said that HE was the one getting married. This realization only made him madder. His nails dug into Yuuji’s shoulders right through the cloth of his shirt.

“But you didn’t correct my assumption, did you?” he pointed out furiously. He leaned closer to Yuuji, his teeth bared. Yuuji drew in a sharp breath, as he felt the distinct signs that anger wasn’t the only emotion that Aya was currently feeling.

“No,” admitted Yuuji. His hands came up to grasp Aya’s hips, and he ground his erection against Aya’s sharply. The snake cried out, throwing his head back, as Yuuji groaned harshly.

Aya panted for breath as he ground out, “Why not? Why let me think that you were…”

“Untouchable?” Yuuji finished. He unclasped one of his hands from Aya’s hips and reached up to grasp the back of his neck. He pulled him down for a deep, tonguing kiss that practically melted Aya right into a puddle in his lap. “Because I wanted to get you all riled up,” he said when he could speak again. “Worked, didn’t it?”

Aya made a sound of rage and showed Yuuji the things he had in common with the snake by darting forward and biting Yuuji hard where his neck met the juncture of his shoulder. As his teeth sank into Yuuji’s skin, the man moaned deep in his throat and grabbed Aya’s ass in his broad, strong hands.

“I hate you,” Aya snarled, drawing back from Yuuji’s throat. There were faint traces of blood on his lips from where he’d broken the skin.

“I doubt that,” Yuuji replied smugly. He kneaded Aya’s ass and was rewarded with a sharp gasp. “I don’t think ‘hate’ is the word I’d use to describe how you feel about me.”

Aya glared, his breath fast and harsh, his body trembling with a combination of lust and fury. Yuuji smirked up at him, causing a growl to trickle from Aya’s throat. The sound only turned the photographer on even more, and a wicked gleam appeared deep in his eyes. He jerked Aya up against him once more, forcing a cry from his lips. “No, definitely not hate,” Yuuji said in satisfaction, turning his head to lick a trail from Aya’s knuckles up his delicate wrist. He bit gently at the wrist bone, and Aya collapsed against him in a heap as his arms gave way.

“That’s more like it,” Yuuji remarked in satisfaction, sliding a hand up Aya’s back to keep him in place. Their chests were aligned, and Aya’s erection was pushed hard against Yuuji’s. Both men moaned at the feel, and Yuuji pulled back Aya’s hair so that he could close his lips over Aya’s earlobe. Aya shuddered against him, a pleasurable sensation that made Yuuji gasp.

Aya was losing himself. Anger had been replaced by surging waves of pure lust, and the feel of Yuuji’s hands on his body was distracting him from his righteous rage. He couldn’t think at all, and who knew what might have taken place right there out in the open, if a real customer hadn’t walked into the shop just then. Aya was too far gone to register the sound of the bell, but Yuuji dimly heard it. He gently pushed Aya off his lap, albeit reluctantly. The snake stared at him blankly, barely able to stand up or think.

“You have a customer, Pretty One,” Yuuji told him firmly. “And it might not be wise to continue this right here in the open.” He got to his feet, painfully adjusting his trousers. “So I’ll swing by tonight and pick you up at 8:30 to take you to dinner. I trust you to wear something nice.”

Aya opened his mouth to protest this high-handed statement, but Yuuji forestalled him by stepping forward and capturing Aya’s head in his hands so that he could kiss him briefly on the lips. Every coherent thought fled, and Yuuji chuckled when he pulled away and saw the dazed look in the big platinum eyes. “I’ll see you tonight, Pretty One,” he said, and left before Aya could gather his thoughts together again.

Aya stood for a moment, trying to regain his equilibrium. His mind was in such a turmoil of rage, desire, and confusion that he felt like his head might explode. After a moment, he ran a hand down the front of his coat and over his hair, straightening up as he did so. Elegant and confident, Sohma Ayame went to attend to his latest customer. The man was dazzled by his charm and grace, and no hint of the inner chaos going on inside of him showed through on Aya’s lovely face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aya and Yuuji go on a date

Aya closed the shop at 7:00. Mine left to go home, but not before she threw a puzzled look over her shoulder at her Boss. Again she’d missed the meeting between Aya and Yuuji, and she couldn’t understand the odd mood that Aya had been in since Hatori, Shigure and Yuki had come to the shop earlier. She wondered if perhaps something had happened between the Boss and his younger brother. That was the only reason she could think of for the radical mood change that had suddenly occurred in Aya once again.

The Boss had gone from moody and silent to wound up and full of energy in such a short space of time that it left Mine feeling bewildered. And he’d taken to muttering under his breath, while glaring at the wall as though he were contemplating violence against it. Mine wondered if the Boss wasn’t losing his mind altogether, he was acting so weird. The worried girl reluctantly departed, leaving Aya standing in the middle of the shop with his arms crossed across his chest.

Aya was still mad, furious at that wretched man who thought he could come strolling in after letting him suffer for three days, and just casually assume that Aya would go out with him. Miserable, attractive, insufferable, sexy man…he ground his teeth together. Well, he was wrong, that was all. There was no way that Aya would go anywhere with him when he arrived to pick Aya up. That was that. Let the wretch learn what it was like to be frustrated and suffer. Yes, that was a good idea.

Unconsciously, one of his hands rose to touch his mouth. He remembered Yuuji’s kisses, and a shiver went through him. The pleasure-loving snake couldn’t help but yearn for more of those hot, wonderful kisses. A sudden image of what sex would be like with Yuuji flashed through his head, and he gasped aloud, as his body tightened at the very thought. Once again, his anger was derailed by a wave of pure lust. Aya groaned as he put a hand up to his head to clutch at his hair. Really, this was too much to take!

He began to pace. He was so over-energized and confused that he felt like his head was going to start spinning like that girl's in the Exorcist. This man had the strangest effect on him – one minute he wanted nothing more than to punch him in the face, the next he longed to jump on him and drag him off somewhere where they could spend hours having hot, sweaty sex together. Both urges seemed equally strong, and poor Aya was rapidly coming to feel like one of those men who were executed by being tied to four horses, who then ran in opposite directions until the men were torn apart.

He looked up at the clock. It was 7:30. In an hour, Yuuji would arrive to take him out to dinner. He hesitated. The resolution to refuse to go anywhere with Yuuji was wavering, as a strong urge ran through him to go up to his second floor apartment and make himself look so beautiful and sexy that it would make Yuuji want him desperately. Then he’d spurn him coldly after the date ended. That’d be worse than refusing to accompany him, wouldn’t it?

He rocked back a bit on his heels as he thought about it. Yes, his second plan seemed better than the first. Mind made up, he hurried into the back to the stairs that led up to his apartment. He ran up them lightly, trying to ignore the excitement and anticipation skirling through his brain at the thought of seeing Yuuji again.

Promptly at 8:30, a sleek black car drew up to the curb outside Aya’s shop. Yuuji got out of it, and looked over at the shop in a mixture of anticipation and curiosity. Frankly, he gave it almost even odds that Aya would refuse to go out with him altogether. He’d been pretty pissed this afternoon. That was all right – Yuuji figured he could change Aya’s mind soon enough. All he’d have to do was seduce him. Yuuji was very good at that.

 

But to his mild surprise, Aya was waiting for him in front of the shop. He was more stunning than ever, his lithe form clad in a stark black, severely-cut coat that was edged with silver embroidery at the collar and cuffs. The color threw into relief the pale skin and silvery hair. A narrow silver pin with a single opal set in it held the collar closed. Two barrettes set with mother-of-pearl held his hair back on either side of his head. He was absolutely gorgeous.

Yuuji ran his eyes appreciatively over this vision of loveliness. “You didn’t have to get all dressed up just for me,” he said lazily, smiling his most charming, raffish smile at Aya.

Aya tried to ignore the way his stomach turned over at that smile. “I didn’t do it for you,” he replied as coldly as possible. Yuuji raised his eyebrows in a faintly disbelieving gesture, but he only cocked his head a bit and said: “Well, whatever the reason, you’re absolutely beautiful.”

Aya was a total sucker for compliments. He felt some of his anger draining away under the admiration in Yuuji’s eyes. He couldn’t help but return the favor and run his eyes over Yuuji in return. He was dressed in a dark-gray suede jacket, with a black silk shirt under it. Both colors heightened the effect of his magnetic eyes. Aya noticed suddenly that the gold cross that had dangled from his ear was gone. In its place was a small platinum disc.

Seeing the direction in which Aya’s eyes had strayed, Yuuji put up a finger to touch the dangling disc. “Do you like it?” he asked. “I bought it the other day because it reminded me of a certain person’s eyes,” he winked at Aya as he stroked the small disc with his fingers.

Aya felt a quiver go through him. He found his eyes riveted to the motion of Yuuji’s caressing fingers. A shock of warmth went through him at the thought that Yuuji had been thinking of him, had bought the earring because it reminded him of Aya’s eyes. The snake was very close to melting into a puddle right there on the sidewalk.

Yuuji grinned slyly. He thoroughly enjoyed befuddling and distracting this beautiful creature. From the look in those big platinum colored eyes, he’d managed to dispel most of the residual anger at him that Aya had been feeling. The emotion he intended to replace it with would be much more pleasant and enjoyable for them both.

“Come on, Pretty One,” he said, stepping onto the sidewalk and taking Aya’s arm. “Can’t stand around here all night. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty hungry.”

He steered Aya around to the passenger side of the car, and helped him in. He got into the driver’s seat and started the engine with a whisper soft purr. Aya had gathered himself enough to be interested in the car, because he liked them and was frustrated that he wasn’t allowed to drive one. Hatori had flatly refused to let either he or Shigure behind the wheel of a vehicle ever again.

“This is a nice car,” he remarked, putting down a hand to stroke the butter soft leather that covered the seat.

Yuuji shot him a sideways look. “Do you like it? It was a gift from Aoshi-kun for my last birthday.”

Aya looked surprised. “Aoshi-kun gave you a CAR for your birthday?” he said incredulously.

Yuuji nodded. “He’s a great kid. Plus, he’s got so much money that I think he doesn’t always know what to do with it. Believe me, I didn’t expect it. I thought he’d buy me a tie or something. When he handed me the keys, I almost fell over from shock.”

Aya studied Yuuji’s profile. It seemed strange that two so very different men should be such good friends. Yuuji didn’t seem to be anything like Aoshi at all. But then, he and Hatori had been friends since they were children, and they were about as opposite as you could get. “Aoshi-kun is a wonderful person,” he said.

Yuuji nodded decisively. “You bet. That kid’s got a heart of gold. Unlike me,” he said in amusement. “Aoshi-kun likes to tell me I’m a bastard. He’s right, of course.”

Aya sniffed. “I would agree with that.”

Yuuji shot him an amused glance. “Hn. But I seriously doubt that you’d like me if I was as nice as Aoshi-kun, Pretty One. You need a bastard to keep you on your toes.”

Aya shot him an annoyed glance in return. “Who says that I like you?” he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest sulkily.

Yuuji rumbled a chuckle that made Aya squirm in his seat. “So you’re going out on a date with someone you don’t like? That seems like kind of a silly thing to do.”

Aya hissed in frustration. Honestly, this man was so insufferable! He stared straight ahead and refused to answer Yuuji, which made the cocky man laugh again. Aya jumped and gasped as one of Yuuji’s big hands settled over his knee and began to rub in lazy circles over the fabric of his coat. “You shouldn’t lie to yourself, Pretty One,” Yuuji chided as he continued to caress Aya’s knee. “You know you like me. Just admit it.”

Aya could barely speak, let alone formulate a thought. The feel of Yuuji’s hand burning right through several layers of cloth was reducing him to a quivering mass right there in his seat. Yuuji smiled as he gently squeezed Aya’s knee and then withdrew his hand. He thought he heard a faint sound of disappointment when he did so, and his smile widened into a grin.

 

The restaurant Yuuji took Aya to was a traditional Japanese restaurant. The hostess, a pretty girl in a pink kimono, led them to one of the small side rooms that could be closed off from the rest of the restaurant by shoji screens. They knelt on cushions on either side of the low table, while a waitress served them saki in small porcelain cups.

Yuuji sipped his saki, enjoying its warmth. He watched Aya’s face across the table. He marveled at how graceful the elegant creature seated across from him was. There was something – sinuous – about him. Yuuji was looking forward to seeing that languorous grace displayed in his bed. A sudden image of a naked Aya twining around him made Yuuji bite back a groan.

To distract himself from his amorous thoughts, he cleared his throat and spoke to Aya. “You know, Pretty One, I was really impressed by your shop. But I have a question for you. Do you have a website? You’d pull in even more customers if you were on the internet.”

Aya blinked at him. He knew almost nothing about computers, and setting up a website seemed akin to traveling to the moon to him. He shook his head. “No. I’m afraid that I don’t know anything about such things.”

Yuuji nodded. “I thought so. I could help you set up your website. You’d need some photos of your stock to upload onto it. I can take some pictures of your designs for you.”

Aya frowned. “And how much would your services cost me?” he asked doubtfully.

Yuuji’s lips quirked. “Well, ordinarily you couldn’t afford me. But I’d be willing to do this for the cost of film. I’m sure that you can find some other way to pay me back for the rest,” he gave Aya a low-lidded look that made the snake feel far too warm in spite of the rather cool evening.

Over dinner, Yuuji told Aya stories about some pf the places he’d gone to. Aya listened in fascination, trying to imagine the exotic locales that Yuuji described. Some of the tales had Aoshi in them, for Yuuji and he had worked together often since they met almost five years ago. He made Aya laugh when he told him how he and Aoshi got drunk one night in Bangkok and ended up in a strip club. Aoshi, who wasn’t used to the very strong liquor that Yuuji had introduced him to, was drunk off his ass. He climbed up on the stage, surprising the male stripper, and proceeded to do a little strip tease of his own right then and there. Much to the appreciation of the rest of the club’s patrons, who whistled and clapped as they enjoyed the free show.

“The management of the club offered him a job,” Yuuji finished. “But since I knew that he’d be horrified when he woke up in the morning, I dragged him out of there before he could do anything rash like accept. Not before I got some pictures, though,” he added slyly. “I’m afraid I was very bad and told him that I’d posted them onto the internet. You never saw anyone more embarrassed and mad.”

Aya gasped. “Poor Aoshi-kun! How could you, Yuuji-san?”

Yuuji laughed. “I didn’t. Put them on the internet, that is. I just told him that to see him get all worked up. I’d taken them with a digital camera, and I erased them afterwards because I knew they’d upset the poor kid. That’s why Aoshi-kun barely touches alcohol anymore. Being that drunk is bad for the dignity.”

Aya shook his head. “I’m glad to see that you enjoy driving everybody crazy, not just me,” he said in exasperation.

Yuuji chuckled. “It’s my mission in life to rub people the wrong way,” he said. “It creates a lot of sparks,” he gave Aya a lusty glance as he said this, and Aya drew in a sharp breath and looked away hurriedly.

 

After dinner, which Aya enjoyed thoroughly even though he would never admit that aloud to Yuuji, the photographer took Aya to a club downtown. They danced together on the crowded floor, bodies rubbing together, eyes fastened on each other, their hips swaying lazily in an imitation of the sex act. Their erections sometimes brushed together, and Aya moaned and threw his head back to show the long line of his throat. The handsome man and his lovely date attracted attention from all sides, and many a gaze became heated as people watched the sexy pair grind together to the sound of a throbbing bass beat.

Aya lost track of time. After awhile, all he knew was the feel of Yuuji rubbing against him, and the joy he took in his own movement. Aya loved to dance, and he had finally found a partner who could keep up with him. Yuuji seemed to have an amazing amount of stamina. Hours passed, and when Yuuji finally escorted Aya out of the club it was nearly three in the morning.

Aya was feeling both tired and energized. All of his awareness was centered on the sexy man driving the car, and the knowledge of what would happen between them once they got back to the shop. The night had been like one long extended bout of foreplay, and Aya for one was ready for the main event. If he thought it wouldn’t have distracted Yuuji while he was driving, he would have climbed into his lap right there in the car.

Yuuji pulled up to the curb in front of the shop. He turned off the car and turned to look at Aya. His eyes were darkened with lust, and raked them over Aya hotly. It was too much for Aya to take. He did what he’d wanted to do since they’d gotten into the car, and climbed into Yuuji’s lap in a single flowing movement. Yuuji grunted when he found himself with a lapful of Aya, and put his hands on Aya’s waist as he looked up at him.

“Is there something you wanted, Pretty One?” he asked tauntingly.

Aya growled low in throat and lowered his head to nip at Yuuji’s bottom lip in retaliation. The infuriating man chuckled softly, then captured Aya’s lips and kissed him deeply. His hands came up to cradle the sides of Aya’s head as they ate at each other. Aya began to rub his erection against Yuuji’s, causing him to groan into Aya’s mouth. Aya was in a near frenzy when Yuuji gently disengaged himself.

Aya blinked down at him in puzzlement. Yuuji smiled crookedly up at him. “Much as I’d love to continue this indefinitely, Pretty One, I have to go.”

Aya shook his head in confusion. “What?”

Yuuji sighed. “I have a plane to catch early in the morning,” he said. “A flight to Paris. I’m doing a job there for one of the Haute Couture houses. It should take me about a week to do. Much as I’d love to drag you inside and have my wicked way with you, as it is I’ll be lucky to get two hours of sleep before I get on the plane.” He put up a hand to stroke Aya’s cheek, but the snake reared back away from him and glared.

“You could have told me this earlier!” he snarled in frustration.

Yuuji quirked an eyebrow. “Mad as you were at me, I thought that you wouldn’t care about my travel plans. Plus, this is our first date. I don’t generally put out on the first date anyway,” he teased. Aya growled again, tightening his fingers in the front of Yuuji’s coat.

Yuuji reached up to stroke Aya’s hair. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier, Pretty One. The fact is I wasn’t looking forward to it. I’d rather stay here with you, but I do have a living to make. The job was set months ago. I can’t change my plans now, no matter how much I’d like to. Will you forgive me? Please?” he gave Aya a pair of little boy pleading eyes that melted the snake’s ire in a moment.

“You really are insufferable,” Aya said in resignation.

“That’s what you like about me,” Yuuji said. He drew Aya down for one last gentle kiss. “I’ll bring you something pretty from Paris,” he promised Aya when he finally reluctantly released him.

Aya shook his head. “I don’t care about that,” he said, although inside he did perk up at the thought. Yuuji saw his eyes brighten, and decided then and there that he’d bring Aya something suitable for such a lovely creature.

Aya climbed out of Yuuji’s car and stood on the sidewalk as the photographer extracted himself as well. He gathered Aya close and kissed him lightly, not wanting to work either of them up any more than they already were. The sexual frustration he would be suffering under for the damnable week in Paris was already bad enough. When he drew away, Aya looked up at him solemnly from his large, mysterious eyes. Yuuji sighed as he ran his thumb over Aya’s mouth. “I’m going to spend the next week dreaming of you, Pretty One,” he said resignedly. “Curse this job!” he growled in disgust.

Aya felt better to see that Yuuji really was unhappy about having to leave him. His heart sank at the thought of the coming week, but he would make it through partially by knowing that Yuuji was suffering as much as he was. “I’ve got to go,” Yuuji said. “I’ve still got some things to do before my flight, and then I guess I’ll try to grab an hour’s sleep or so. Goodbye, Pretty One. I’ll be thinking of you the entire time I’m gone,” he reached out to stroke the side of Aya’s face lightly with his fingertips, and gave him a lazy smile. Then he got in his car and drove away.

Aya stood on the sidewalk and watched him drive off. He remembered dimly that he’d made the resolution to seduce and then spurn Yuuji at the end of the date. It hadn’t worked out quite as he’d planned, but he was still going home alone. This, Aya thought, is going to be the longest week of my life.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little hot and sweet phone sex.

Yuuji hated Paris. He’d always hated the crumbling, smelly city with its rude and odiferous inhabitants, but now he loathed it. He sat moodily on the side of the bed in his hotel room, smoking a cigarette and glaring at the inoffensive still life hanging on the wall in front of his eyes. Drawing in a deep lungful of smoke, he closed his eyes and thought once more of a certain amazingly sexy designer. One hand rose to touch the platinum disc in his ear, and he sighed deeply in disgust and boredom.

Three days. Three days of taking pictures of a bunch of skinny, sulky, self important models while they pouted their way down the runway in a bunch of(in Yuuji’s opinion) really ugly clothes. Aoshi was a fluke, to Yuuji’s way of thinking. Almost all of the other models that he’d ever met were a bunch of spoiled, stupid prima donnas, demanding and petulant. Maybe the fact that they weren’t ever allowed to eat proper meals affected their moods, but he still had a great urge to bitch slap most of them on their perfect cheekbones.

And then there’d been the last two nights. Usually, he’d have gone to a club and partied until dawn, probably getting drunk and finding some amenable partner to bring back to his hotel room for a one night stand. A foreigner, most likely, because Yuuji loathed the French about as much as they loathed him. But this trip was different. He didn’t want casual sex with a stranger. He just wanted Aya.

He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. Here he was, stuck in a city that claimed to be the romance capitol of the world (Hah! He thought sardonically. As if. I don’t know how all those besotted lovers stand the smell) and he was alone. By choice, for once, which made it even worse. All he wanted to do was get this job done and return to Japan as fast as possible. Then, he intended to drag a certain platinum eyed beauty off to someplace private and have his way with him for at least forty eight hours or so.

The Gods hate me, he thought morosely. I’m probably going to reincarnate as a cockroach. He stubbed out his cigarette with a savage gesture, getting up to go over to the window and stare blindly down at the cobbled street below. The hotel advertised Old World charm, which meant ancient bathroom fixtures that leaked and an elevator so old that Yuuji expected it to plunge down into the basement every time he got into it.

He wasn’t sure how much more that he could take. Four more days of this, and he’d be a basket case. He was tormented by images of long silver/white hair wrapped around him, and a lithe, sinuous body writhing on his sheets. The only relief he’d had so far for the last three days involved his own hand and a good imagination. He was definitely losing his mind.

He heard a phone ring off in the room on his right, and it gave him a sudden idea. He went over to the phone and picked up the receiver. He asked the operator for the international calling code for Japan in his broken French, and she told him to wait a moment in that smug tone of voice that the French reserved for everyone who wasn’t also French. It made him grit his teeth. He waited impatiently, and after a short time her voice returned and gave him the number. He thanked her ironically, before he hung up the phone and then picked it up again to call the number she’d given him. Once he reached the international operator, he dialed Aoshi’s home number with a sense of relief. It would be very good to hear a voice speaking Japanese rather than the sloppy, letter dropping collage of sounds that passed for a language in this country.

The phone rang several times, and he almost groaned aloud. Looked like nobody was home. Then, just before Aoshi’s machine picked up, a familiar quiet voice came onto the line. “Mushi mushi. This is Aoshi.”

Yuuji found himself grinning at the sound if his friend’s voice. “Hey, kid. How’s things?”

“Yuuji-san?” Aoshi sounded startled. Yuuji seldom called him when he was out of the country on a job. Well, there’s a first time for everything, Yuuji thought.

“Yeah. I’m calling from Paris because I need to ask you to give me Sohma-san’s phone number.”

There was a silence on the other end of the phone. “Why do you need that?” Aoshi asked cautiously.

Yuuji sighed in annoyance. “Because I want to call him, of course. What else would I need his phone number for?” he knew he was getting annoyed all out of proportion, but sexual deprivation could do that to a man.

“Hmm.” There was a wealth of skepticism and mistrust in that one syllable. Yuuji understood; Aoshi was very protective of those he cared for, and he still didn’t trust Yuuji around Aya after their first meeting.

“Listen, kid” he said quietly. “I know what you’re thinking. But I won’t hurt Aya-san. I promise you that,” he projected all the sincerity he felt into his voice.

There was another silence, this one flavored with surprise. “All right, Yuuji-san,” Aoshi said after a moment. “But I’ll hold you to that promise,” there was menace in his voice, a subtle warning. Quiet as he was, Aoshi could be quite scary when he was in full protective mode.

Yuuji nodded, although his friend couldn’t see the gesture. “I gotcha, Aoshi-kun. Now can I have his number?”

“Have you got a pen?” Aoshi waited patiently while Yuuji rummaged on the spindly desk for a pen and some note paper. Then he read off the number to Aya’s shop, making Yuuji repeat it back to make sure he had it right.

“Thanks, kid,” Yuuji said gratefully. “I owe you one. Give your sweet boy a kiss for me”

“I’ll do that,” Aoshi said, sounding amused now. He hesitated. “Are you all right, Yuuji-san?” he asked next, sounding concerned. Trust Aoshi to pick up on the subtle nuances in his friend’s voice.

Yuuji sighed. “I’m fine, Aoshi-kun. Just a bit bored, is all,” he couldn’t stop his voice from sounding rather forlorn, which annoyed him. He glared at the far wall, cursing himself mentally.

“Mm-hmm. Care to talk about it?” there was quiet concern and compassion in Aoshi’s voice. Yuuji’s hand tightened on the hand set as he fought down a sudden inexplicable urge to blurt out all his feelings. Aoshi had that affect on him sometimes.

“Nah. Thanks again for the number. I’ll be o.k. once I talk to my Pretty One.” He realized just how much he’d admitted as a third silence, this time astonished, poured out of the receiver. Cursing even more darkly, he said: “I gotta go, kid. Take care of yourself.” He hung up before Aoshi could say anything more, putting a hand to his head to rub at the burgeoning headache forming behind his eyes. Honestly, what the hell was wrong with him?

 

Far away, in a high rise apartment in Japan, a tall, beautiful young model put the receiver away from his ear and stared at it in astonishment. His brows drew together in perplexity, and then a strange gleam appeared in a pair of tarnished silver eyes, as Fujihara Aoshi began to smile rather wickedly.

“Aoshi? Who was that? What’s so funny?”

Aoshi turned to find his lover standing behind him. Ritsu had emerged from the office that Aoshi had had converted into a work space/studio for him, a sketch book in his hand. He was giving Aoshi a puzzled look, wondering about the peculiar smile gracing his lover’s lips.

“That was Yuuji-san,” Aoshi said, trying not to laugh out loud. “He was calling from Paris.”

Ritsu looked surprised. He knew of Yuuji’s habits, and that the photographer very seldom called his friend when he was traveling. “What did he want?”

Aoshi grinned. “He wanted Aya-san’s phone number,” he said.

Ritsu nearly dropped the sketch pad. “Why?” he asked.

“I think he was feeling lonely.” Aoshi’s grin widened as Ritsu’s eyes grew rather big. The concept of Yuuji being lonely seemed almost unbelievable.

“Lonely?” Ritsu said in bewilderment. Then: “For Aya-san, you mean?”

“That’s what it seemed like.” Thoroughly pleased, Aoshi walked over and kissed Ritsu deeply. “Yuuji-san told me to,” he said when he raised his head.

“Well, I should hope it doesn’t take Yuuji-san telling you to to make you want to kiss me,” Ritsu said mock chidingly.

Aoshi swiped his fingers lovingly down his lover’s cheek. “Of course not. I always want to do it anyway, 24/7.”

“That’s better,” Ritsu shook his head. “Do you think that Yuuji-san and Aya-san are…?”

Aoshi cocked his head. “Together? If they’re not, they will be soon. I saw the way they looked at each other. I don’t think that Yuuji-san will be able to resist Aya.”

“Not too many people can” Ritsu agreed with a smile. He sobered as he asked: “You don’t think that Aya will get hurt, do you, Aoshi?”

Aoshi shook his head. “I have Yuuji-san’s promise that he won’t hurt Aya-san, Ri-chan. I told him I’d make sure he kept that promise. And I will. I don’t want to see Aya hurt any more than you do.”

Ritsu smiled lovingly up at him. “I know you don’t. I hope it all works out for them. I’d like to see Aya-san happy. Well, happier, anyway,” he amended, thinking of the cheerful snake fondly.

Aoshi nodded. “Here’s hoping, Itoshii,” he said, solemnly crossing his fingers.

 

Aya sat in the back at his sewing machine, his chin in his hand. He was supposed to be working on an order, but he was easily distracted these days. He sighed. Only a week…but it had only been three days, and already he was going crazy. Time seemed to have stretched out, so that days became weeks. Nights were the worst, he found, and sleep seemed to be eluding him more often than not.

Vaguely he heard the phone in his tiny office ring. Since it wasn’t the one out in the shop, it most likely wasn’t a customer. A personal call, then. He got up and went to answer it, since Mine didn’t answer his private phone. It was usually some member of his family. He was betting that it was probably Hatori, calling to check up on him. Hatori could be a real Mother Hen when he wanted to be, but Aya generally appreciated his fussing. It meant that Hatori cared about him.

He walked into the office and picked up the phone. “Mushi, mushi. This is Aya," he said, expecting to hear Hatori’s solemn voice come over the receiver.

Instead, a deep lazily sexy voice rumbled into his ear. “Hello, Pretty One”

Aya almost dropped the phone in shock. “Yuuji-san? How did you…?”

“I got Aoshi-kun to give me your number. I figured hearing your voice was better than nothing” Yuuji replied.

“Yes. How is Paris?”

“Awful. I wish you were here, Pretty One. It’d actually make having to spend time in this rat hole bearable.”

“You don’t like Paris?” Aya was faintly shocked. It had always seemed such a romantic place, on t.v. and in the movies.

Yuuji snorted. “No. Although I’m not going into the reasons why, because this call is going to cost me a fortune anyway. I’d have to sell my car to pay for the call if I actually listed all the reasons I really, REALLY hate this city.”

“Oh.” Aya paused. “What would you like to talk about instead? Do you have to hang up soon?”

“I probably should, but I guess I’ll just get a small loan to cover the charges” there was amusement in Yuuji’s voice. “And as for what we should talk about…What are you wearing, Pretty One?” his voice had lowered as he spoke, and Aya felt a faint shiver pass through him.

“Why do you want to know what I’m wearing?” he asked rather breathlessly.

Yuuji chuckled. "Because it’ll be easier to imagine you when I masturbate tonight while thinking of you,” he purred in his deep, harsh voice.

Aya’s eyes glazed over a bit at he image that formed in his head at Yuuji’s words. He moaned softly, and Yuuji laughed. “So tell me what you’re wearing,” he repeated.

“Ahh. My red coat. The one you saw the second time you came to the shop,” he said in a voice with a faint tremble in it.

“Great. Maybe you should take it off,” Yuuji’s voice dropped even lower, caressing Aya with its deep, husky tones. The snake squirmed, sitting abruptly on the edge of the tiny desk as his legs threatened to buckle on him.

“Take it off?” he repeated, gasping.

“That’s right. I want to hear you pleasure yourself until you come. I can’t wait to hear your sexy voice when you do.”

Aya felt as though his brain was about to explode. He bent half over, still clutching the phone, groaning softly. “Yeah, just like that,” Yuuji said throatily.

“J-Just a moment,” Aya staggered to his feet and went over to shut and lock the door. The thought of Mine walking in on him doing what he knew he was going to do was a horribly embarrassing one. Then he went back to the desk and picked up the hand set again.

“All right,” his voice shook a bit with excitement. Yuuji made an approving sound on the other end. “Take your clothes off, Pretty One,” he growled.

Aya’s fingers fumbled as he undid the buttons down the front of his red coat. His hands were shaking faintly, and he panted softly as he fought with the recalcitrant fastenings. Finally he managed to get them all undone and pull the coat and the under sheath off his body, leaving him sitting almost naked on the side of his desk.

“Are you naked?” asked Yuuji softly.

Yes,” Aya said in a near whimper.

“Good. Touch yourself, Pretty One.” Yuuji commanded.

Aya ran one of his long, slim fingered hands down his own slim torso, crying out softly at the feel of his own fingers on his skin. “Gods, that sounds sexy,” Yuuji husked. “Now, pinch one of your nipples for me, Pretty One”

Helpless to resist, Aya did as he as told. His fingertips closed over his own pale nipple, and he threw his head back at the sensation. He cried out as the nipple became erect under his fingers.

Yuuji groaned a bit himself. “I love the noises you make. Now I want you to touch your cock. Imagine that’s it’s my hand on you.”

Aya obediently slid a hand down his stomach and took a hold of his own erection, moaning as he imagined that it was Yuuji’s broad hand enclosing him. “Now stroke yourself,” Yuuji said in his ear.

Aya’s hand began to move. With long, leisurely movements of his hand he stroked himself, trying to keep his cries quiet so that Mine wouldn’t be able to hear him out in the shop. It just felt so good, and Yuuji’s deep voice speaking in his ear turned him on even more. He imagined that Yuuji was standing behind him, not talking to him over the phone. Yuuji was getting him off with his hand and his voice. He could almost feel Yuuji’s breath on his ear and the weight of his body as he pressed up against him from behind.

“Ahhh!” Aya struggled to be quiet, but it was a battle he was losing as Yuuji continued to push him higher and higher. “Feels good, doesn’t it?” he asked silkily. “Almost as good as it would feel if I was fucking you. Do you want me to fuck you, Pretty One?”

“Yes!” Aya threw his head back in ecstasy as his hand began to move faster.

“You want my cock in you? You want me to make you come?”

“Yes,” the sound was breathless, a near whimper, as Aya’s hips began to lift. He was going to come, going to come with Yuuji talking dirty to him over the phone.

“Then come, Pretty One. Come for me. Let me hear the sounds you make.” Yuuji’s voice was a harsh caress, and Aya cried out loudly as he came all over his hand. He slumped against the desk, his head hanging, as pleasure washed through him. He panted lightly in the aftermath, his whole body feeling short circuited.

Somehow he’d managed to maintain a grip on the phone. “Beautiful,” husked Yuuji. “That was lovely, my Pretty One. I can’t wait to hear you make those sounds in person.”

Aya couldn’t speak for a moment. When he did finally find his voice, it had a faint rasp to it. “Yuuji-san,” he said rather hoarsely. “That was…”

“I know,” Yuuji sounded faintly smug. “I’m going to end up living in a box” he continued wryly. “It’s going to cost me a fortune to call you every day.”

“Every day?” Aya couldn’t keep the eagerness out of his voice, though he tried.

“Yeah. If I don’t get my daily fix, I’ll probably lose my mind. I’ve got to go now, Pretty One. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“All right,” Aya felt a twinge of disappointment, but he understood. The rates on an international long distance call were astronomical to say the least.

“Sleep well, tonight, Pretty One. Dream of me.” There was a smile in Yuuji’s voice as he hung up.

Aya set the phone in its cradle. He blushed faintly as he looked down at his own naked form, and the semen clinging in droplets to his skin. Fortunately he kept a box of tissues in the office, so he was able to clean himself up before he got dressed again. When he unlocked the door and stepped outside, he was horrified to find Mine standing there looking at him in concern.

Are you all right, Boss?” she asked worriedly.

Aya collected himself as best he could. “Yes I’m fine, Mine.”

“Oh, okay. It’s just I heard you moan, and I thought you might be sick,”

Aya couldn’t stop the pale pink blush from rising in his cheeks. “No, no. I’m not sick, Mine,” he hastened to re-assure the worried girl. He laughed loudly, something he did when he was nervous.

Mine furrowed her brows. “If you’re sure, Boss,” she said. Aya’d been acting so strange this past week that she really was beginning to wonder about his sanity.

“Yes, yes. I have to get back to work on this order, Mine. Don’t worry about a thing,” Aya said, waving his hand at her. He hurried away with a spring in his step that hadn’t been there before, leaving his puzzled assistant staring after him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuji comes home, and he and Aya have an enthusiastic welcome home party...

Aya was re-stocking the shelves in the shop, his hands busy while his mind was fully occupied in worrying. It was the sixth day of Yuuji’s absence, and he hadn’t called this afternoon as he’d done for the last two days before that. Aya was wondering if something had happened to him. He had no way of finding out, so he was growing more and more concerned. It was 6:00 PM, and he’d be closing the shop in an hour. While he didn’t really expect the phone to ring anymore, he still strained his ears to catch any sound from the back office.

The bell over the door jingled, but he didn’t turn around to greet the customer, because Mine was up front at the cash register. He reached up to straighten some bolts of fabric, and gasped as a pair of strong arms slid around him. Hot breath tickled the hair near his ear, as a deep voice spoke over his shoulder: “Greetings, Pretty One. Did you miss me?”

Aya whirled around to find Yuuji smiling down at him. “Yuuji-san!” he cried joyfully, unhesitatingly jumping into Yuuji’s arms and wrapping his legs around his waist. 

Yuuji oofed a bit, as he staggered under Aya’s enthusiastic maneuver. “Guess so,” Yuuji said. He bent his head and kissed Aya deeply, putting his hands on Aya’s ass to hold him in place as he devoured his mouth.

Mine, who’d seen the handsome stranger come into the shop and stroll toward Aya, witnessed this scene with her mouth hanging open a bit. The two men were so involved that neither of them was even aware of her presence anymore. Aya was climbing the man as though he was a tree, and both were moaning as they tried to eat each other from the mouth down.

Mine was both embarrassed and a bit titillated by this scene. 'This actually explains a lot,' she thought, thinking about the Boss’s weird behavior the last week or so. And then she remembered the time a couple of days ago when she’d heard the Boss moaning back in the office, and her face flamed as she realized what must have been going on.

She didn’t want to interrupt (she wasn’t sure that she could have, anyway), so she slipped quietly away and collected her coat. She hurried out of the back and out the door, without either of the fully preoccupied men noticing her departure. She stopped to turn the Open sign to Closed, and locked up with the extra key that the Boss had given her. She doubted that he’d be coherent enough anytime soon to remember to lock up the shop. Smiling a little, she walked away down the sidewalk. : Good for you, Boss: she thought. This was a lot better than thinking that Aya was losing his mind.

Inside the shop, Yuuji tore his mouth away from Aya’s and began to kiss his way down the side of that elegant white neck. He spoke as he nipped and licked at Aya’s creamy pale skin. “The show finished a day early, so I grabbed the first available flight. Thought I’d surprise you.”

Aya moaned, clutching at the back of Yuuji’s head. “I’m so glad to see you,” he said, beginning to rub himself up against Yuuji frantically.

“I can see that,” gasped Yuuji. “Where can we go, Pretty One?”

Aya waved a hand at the curtain that divided the front of the shop from the back. Yuuji began to walk, still carrying Aya. He pushed through the curtain impatiently, groaning a bit as Aya bit at his ear with his small, sharp white teeth. “Where?” he asked again, and Aya gasped out: “Stairs. There,” even as he attacked Yuuji’s collar bone.

Yuuji spotted the stairs to Aya’s second floor apartment, and he took them nearly two at a time even with Aya’s added weight. He shouldered through the door at the top, after scrabbling impatiently at the doorknob while he held Aya up at the same time. Inside, he barely had time to register the eclectically furnished but neat as a pin apartment, before he was thoroughly distracted by Aya’s small pink tongue sliding along his jaw line and down his neck.

“Bedroom” he groaned, and Aya spoke against his skin. “Through there,” he said, indicating an archway off the small living room.

Yuuji bore Aya across the room and into the bedroom, descending down onto the large, comfortable-looking bed with Aya under him. The snake cried out at the feel of Yuuji’s hard, strong body pressing down on him. He cried out even more loudly as Yuuji thrust his hips into Aya’s, grinding their erections together. “That’s what you do to me, baby,” Yuuji growled in his ear.

Yuuji pushed himself up enough to begin to work at the fastenings of Aya’s coat. He wanted this lovely creature naked, and he wanted him naked now! He’d fantasized all week about seeing all that pale soft skin laid bare to his eyes, and he wasn’t going to be put off by mere clothes. Impatiently he finished the last button and pushed the coat open, only to find the linen under sheath in his way.

Growling in frustration, he didn’t bother to try to find a way to remove the garment without harming it. Instead, he grasped the material in his hands and literally ripped it off of Aya. He tore the front to shreds, revealing all of the pale beauty that he’d been lusting after for over a week.

Any other time, Aya might have protested the cavalier destruction of his clothes. But he wanted to be naked as badly as Yuuji wanted him to be, and the sight of Yuuji’s strong hands ripping his clothes off of him was amazingly erotic. He mewled desperately as Yuuji splayed his hands and ran them down his torso worshipfully. “So beautiful” husked Yuuji, and Aya thrust himself off the bed and into those caressing hands with a small cry.

The snake sat up and reached out to begin unbuttoning Yuuji’s shirt. He didn’t want to be alone in his nakedness. He wanted to see every part of his new lover. Yuuji let him undress him without helping, merely pushing the navy blue coat the rest of the way off of Aya’s body along with the tattered remains of the under sheath. Aya unbuttoned the charcoal shirt that Yuuji was wearing and pushed it off of him, revealing a broad, muscular dark skinned chest that he ran his hands down eagerly as he headed for the waistband of Yuuji’s slacks.

Yuuji groaned at the feel of Aya’s slender hands running over his skin. He bent his head and ran his tongue along the shell of Aya’s small ear as the snake unfastened the waistband of his slacks and eagerly thrust one of his hands inside to grasp Yuuji’s cock. He gripped the hot, thick organ tightly, causing Yuuji to gasp and arch his hips a bit off the bed. “Ahh, Pretty One!” he cried as Aya stroked him once with his hand.

Yuuji grabbed Aya’s arm and extracted his hand, pulling it up so that he could suck on two of the long, slim fingers. Aya moaned at the feel of Yuuji’s tongue on his skin. Yuuji used one hand to rid himself of his now uncomfortable slacks, pushing them down his own hips and sitting up on his knees. He continued to suck on Aya’s fingers while he did so, meeting Aya’s limpid gaze with a feral, smoldering look of his own. He kicked the slacks off backwards with a grateful noise, and then removed Aya’s fingers from his mouth with a last caressing lick.

Aya made a sound of protest that was cut off when Yuuji kissed him, devouring him with his mouth even as he slid his hands over the pale slim torso and used his thumbs to flick over his nipples. The snake cried out intoYuuji’s mouth, beginning to writhe sinuously just like Yuuji had fantasized he would. He slid his hands down to grasp Aya’s ass, pulling him up against his body with a jerk. The feel of naked skin rubbing together sent both men into a near frenzy.

Yuuji tore his mouth from Aya’s and began to kiss his way down the long white neck that tilted to give him access. “I can’t wait anymore, Pretty One,” he growled desperately against Aya’s skin.

“Ahh,” Aya cried, arching his hips towards Yuuji. “Then don’t,” he gasped. He was nearly mad with lust at this point, and all he wanted was to feel Yuuji inside of him.

Yuuji groaned at Aya’s words. “Lube?” he asked, licking the soft skin behind Aya’s ear delicately.

“There,” Aya pointed to the nightstand beside his bed. “Top drawer.”

Yuuji broke away from him long enough to open the drawer and snag the bottle. He returned just a swiftly, putting a hand on Aya’s chest to push him backward onto the bedspread. He took a moment to appreciate the sight of a thoroughly aroused Aya, sprawled out on the bed in front of him. This was a hundred times better than any of his fantasies.

He coated his fingers with the lube, and put his hands under Aya’s thighs to lift his legs onto his shoulders. His silver-haired beauty cried out and arched his back as he thrust one of his fingers inside of him. He enjoyed the sounds Aya made as he worked his finger in and out of his hot, tight passage, loving the pale pink flush that had spread over the ivory skin of that lovely face.

“More,” Aya gasped, lifting his hips in a begging motion. Yuuji complied, sliding another finger into him, and watching with satisfaction as the white throat arched back as Aya’s whole body lifted off the bed. He pistoned his fingers inside of his lover, drawing loud cries and gasps from him that only turned Yuuji on even more.

While he moved his fingers inside of Aya, he reached out with his other hand to lightly stroke the tip of the long, elegant cock between his legs. Aya’s thrashing became frenzied, his cried loud and wild. Yuuji sadistically teased him with butterfly touches and caresses, even as he inserted a third finger into him. Aya was reduced to a begging, whimpering mass by the dual sensations, and Yuuji finally couldn’t take any more.

He slid his fingers out of Aya at the same time that he withdrew his hand. Aya whimpered in disappointment at the loss of sensation, but Yuuji was hurriedly lubing up his cock. He had to be inside of Aya, or he was going to lose it. He put one hand down to lift his buttocks even as he used the other to guide himself to Aya’s entrance. He pushed into his pale beauty with a triumphant gasp.

Aya nearly screamed at the feel of Yuuji thrusting into him. The photographer pushed relentlessly inside of him until he was fully seated, then stopped to give Aya time to adjust. The snake moaned at the feeling of fullness within himself, and the slight burning sensation engendered by having Yuuji’s thick cock buried within him to the hilt. It was so good! He’d wanted this for what seemed like forever, and he tightened his internal muscles around his lover just to watch him groan and close his eyes.

“Yuuujjiii,”Aya moaned lasciviously, lifting his hips. “Fuck me.”

Yuuji complied with his lover’s demand, wanting nothing more than to thrust into that elegant white body. Slowly, he began to move within Aya with long, powerful thrusts, gritting his teeth at the feel of Aya’s hot, velvety tightness closing around him every time. He grasped Aya’s hips with his broad hands, controlling their movement. When Aya would have snapped his hips up to meet his every thrust, he forestalled him. Aya cried out in frustrated lust, and Yuuji made it up to him by thrusting into him harder.

Aya’s mouth was open, his eyes half-closed, his mind nearly gone from the feel of Yuuji within him. The sight was utterly sexy. Yuuji groaned and rose onto his knees a bit so that he could lean forward. He let go of Aya’s hips so that he could put his hands on either side of Aya’s waist. Still thrusting into him, he laid himself over Aya so that their skin rubbed together, slick with their sweat. He kissed Aya even as he began to move within him harder and faster, slamming their hips together. Aya’s erection rubbed against his stomach, and the snake cried out in Yuuji’s mouth at the pleasurable friction.

Yuuji was close to orgasm. The sounds and movements he drew out of Aya were literally blowing his mind. His beauty was close, too; he could tell by the straining, jerking movement of Aya’s muscles as he lifted his hips and his hands scrabbled at Yuuji’s broad back, raking his nails down the brown skin. Yuuji cried out in ecstasy at the pain/pleasure as Aya’s wicked nails drew blood. In retaliation, he thrust extra hard into Aya and turned his head to bite at his ear at the same time.

Aya screamed as he came all over Yuuji’s stomach, his nails digging into the skin of Yuuji’s shoulders. The photographer groaned loudly as the pain of Aya’s nails and the feel of his internal muscles tightening around his cock combined to pull his orgasm from him.

Yuuji fought not to collapse on top of Aya as his arms threatened to give out on him. He panted, looking down into Aya’s flushed, sexy face. The sight of those large platinum eyes mellow and dreamy in the aftermath turned him on immensely. He pulled out of Aya, causing the snake to moan softly, and leaned down to kiss him on the lips.

“So sweet,” he murmured, already almost ready for more. He kissed Aya slow and deep, letting their sensitized skin rub together as he began to thrust his hips lazily into Aya’s.

The snake’s moan was almost pleading, but he didn’t try to escape from the sensations Yuuji was beginning to evoke in him. Yuuji buried his fingers in Aya’s wonderful silvery hair, running it through his fingers as he marveled at its texture. So soft, like pure silk. He left Aya’s mouth and began to nibble his way down that long white throat that arched so invitingly at the feel of his mouth. He slid backwards between Aya’s legs as he ran his tongue over an elegant collar bone, tracing it delicately.

Aya gasped as Yuuji’s talented tongue closed over one of his pale nipples and began to suckle softly. He was growing hard again against Yuuji’s stomach. He buried his long fingers in the bristly blonde tipped hair as Yuuji went further south, licking a path down his torso and biting very gently at the jerking stomach muscles. He cried out as Yuuji slid even further down the bed and ran his tongue over the weeping head of Aya’s erection. He lapped at it like a dog, with broad sweeping strokes of his tongue, all the while watching Aya’s face to enjoy the sight of him losing his mind.

When Aya was beginning to writhe, Yuuji suddenly took his cock all the way down his throat. Aya nearly screamed at the sensation, as Yuuji buried his nose in the soft, curly pubic hair. It was then that the photographer noticed an anomaly, although his brain didn’t process the thought until later. Aya’s pubic hair matched the hair on his head. He’d originally thought that his hair was dyed, but if it were natural it was rather strange. Aya wasn’t an albino; his eyes weren’t pink or very pale blue as they would have been if he were. And while Aya might dye his pubic hair, his eyelashes were also white. And nobody dyed their eyelashes.

Yuuji registered this phenomenon faintly, but he left the puzzle of it for another time. Instead, he began to suck Aya’s cock in a leisurely fashion. Aya tightened his fingers in Yuuji’s hair, lifting his hips and crying out loudly. He stroked Aya’s balls with one hand as he drove him crazy with his mouth. The other hand grasped his pale hip and held him place while he continued to pleasure him with his mouth.

When Aya’s frantic cries told him that he was about to come, Yuuji abandoned his cock and got on his knees. Aya moaned in disappointment, and then gasped as Yuuji’s strong hands turned him over onto his hands and knees. He felt Yuuji grasp his ass and pull his buttocks apart, and then the man behind him thrust into him in one clean stroke. Both men groaned as Yuuji began to move once more.

Deeper and harder, with Yuuji’s hands holding tight to Aya’s hips as he drove himself into the man kneeling before him. His hips slapped against Aya’s ass, and the snake’s loud cries of pleasure spurred him on. Long, slim fingers fisted into the bedspread as Aya began to move his hips back to meet each of Yuuji’s hard, driving thrusts. The tip of that thick cock began to pound his prostate with each thrust, and mind blowing pleasure surged through him over and over again. Without even needing to touch himself, Aya came all over the bedspread under him. He screamed Yuuji’s name as he came, and he felt Yuuji thrust into him one last time before he came inside of him with a cry.

Yuuji panted for breath, staying unmoving for a moment as he savored the feel of Aya around his semi-hard erection. The snake had wilted onto the bedspread in front of him, his hair spread out around him in a silver pool. Sweat shimmered on his pale skin. He looked like a sculpture done by a talented artist, a sculpture done to illustrate beauty and grace.

He reluctantly removed himself from Aya’s body, crawling forward to pull Aya to his chest as he stroked the fine stands of moonlight colored hair away from that lovely face so that he could look into those platinum eyes. They were still dazed, and he smiled as he kissed Aya’s forehead affectionately. “Guess I don’t have to ask if it was good for you,” he rumbled lazily.

Aya only made a small satisfied sound in the back of his throat. Yuuji chuckled. “This is the best homecoming that I’ve ever had,” he said.

 

Hours later, after Yuuji made love to him several more times and reduced the poor snake to a limp, tired(but extremely satisfied)mass, Aya lay with his head on Yuuji’s broad chest. He was slipping towards sleep, exhaustion drawing him under. Yuuji spoke above his head. “I almost forgot. I remembered to get you something in Paris, Pretty One. Would you like it now or later?”

Aya came alert in a moment. Tired as he was, the prospect of a present peaked his interest. Yuuji laughed when he saw how Aya’s eyes brightened, and he slid out of bed to retrieve a small package from the pocket of his jacket, which had been discarded over a chair. He returned to the bed and handed it to Aya. The snake sat up and began to open the package, ripping off the paper in his eagerness to see what Yuuji had brought him. The photographer sat on the edge of the bed and watched him with amused eyes. The lovely designer was just like a kid on Christmas Day.

There was a wide flat white box under the paper. Aya pried off the lid to find an unusual metal collar resting on a bed of cotton within. He lifted it out with one hand, as Yuuji said: “It’s Celtic. It’s called a torc. You wear it with the two ends in front. When I saw it, it immediately made me think of you.”

The torc was made of platinum and gold, the two metals twisted together. One of the ends was platinum, the other gold. The thing that made Aya’s eyes widen was the fact that the ends had been formed into the stylized heads of two serpents - one gold snake, one platinum, twined together to form the piece of jewelry. How, wondered the stunned man, had Yuuji known? Or was it just a strange coincidence?

The piece was quite lovely. As he stroked the cool metal softly, Aya looked up at Yuuji. “Why snakes, Yuuji-san?” he asked.

Yuuji’s lips quirked up on one side. “They just reminded me of you,” he said, which made Aya gasp. Surely he didn’t know?

“I’m not saying that to insult you,” Yuuji continued, mistaking Aya’s gasp. “I just thought when I met you that you were the most graceful, flowing creature I’d ever seen. Sinuous. Beautiful. Maybe even a little deadly, at least to certain portions of my anatomy,” he grinned.

Aya melted on the spot. There was admiration and desire in Yuuji’s blue-grey stare. He LIKED the fact that Aya reminded him of a snake. Aya carefully placed the torc around his neck, then flowed forward into Yuuji’s arms. Putting his arms around Yuuji’s neck, he kissed him with all the gratitude he felt for the gift, and not just for the necklace. “Arigatou, Yuuji-san,” he murmured. “I love it.”

Yuuji stroked his hair. “I’m glad, Pretty One.” He surprised himself by yawning. “I think we could both use some sleep,” he said. They curled up together in Aya’s bed once more, and Aya fingered the torc as he closed his eyes and rested his head on Yuuji’s chest again. A small, sweet smile slid across his lips as he fell asleep in Yuuji’s arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuhji and Yuli have a conversation that hets Yuki to thinking in a way he never has before about Haru.

Aya awoke much later than he usually did the next morning. He yawned, sitting up in bed and stretching sinuously. He felt marvelous. The reason for his great mood wasn’t in bed anymore, but he could hear faint noises coming from the direction of his kitchen. He slid out of bed and pulled a red silk robe out of the closet. Belting it closed, he padded out of the bedroom and into the living room.

He stopped short when he saw the naked man standing in his kitchen. Yuuji was leaning back against the counter, obviously uncaring about his unclothed state. Aya ran his eyes over that powerful, dark skinned form and decided right then and there that he wasn’t going to complain about it, either.

“Ohayo, Pretty One,” Yuuji greeted him lazily. “How do you like your eggs?”

Aya saw that Yuuji was, indeed, cooking breakfast. He found that he was starving, not a huge surprise after all of the calories he’d burned last night. “Scrambled, if you will,” he requested.

Yuuji nodded. “Done. That’s a great robe,” he ran his eyes appreciatively down the fall of crimson silk.

Aya returned the favor. “I like what you’re wearing, too,” he replied throatily.

Yuuji’s eyes darkened with lust. “Stop looking at me like that, or we’ll never get breakfast,” he rumbled.

Aya’s hands went to the belt of his robe. Slowly, teasingly, he untied it and let the robe slide off of him onto the floor. “We can always eat later,” he purred.

Yuuji sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of Aya’s white skinned beauty. “No, I think I’ll eat now,” he growled, and strode across the room. He swept Aya up into his arms, and carried him triumphantly back in the direction of the bedroom.

 

They almost burned the apartment down, because Yuuji forgot to turn the pan off. Aya didn’t mind the loss of the pan, which was burnt black and smoking when they finally remembered it. Yuuji promised to buy him a replacement, anyway. They finally did get breakfast some time in the afternoon.

Mine competently ran the shop pretty much by herself for the next few days. Aya seldom left his apartment, and each time he did he was smiling and dreamy-eyed. His assistant still didn’t know the name of the handsome man holed up with the Boss, but frankly she didn’t care, either. Aya was on cloud nine, and Mine for one was so happy to see him this way that she wasn’t going to rock the boat.

She noticed the odd metal necklace that Aya was sporting the first time he appeared downstairs, the day after the man arrived. The Boss stopped to talk to her (not very coherently, but that was o.k.) and she noticed that he had a new behavioral tic. Instead of reaching up to play with his hair, his fingers now strayed to softly stroke the metal of the necklace. He always smiled when he did so. Mine thought that this was a pretty cute gesture, and the sight of him doing it always made her feel a little mushy. She loved romance just as much as he did, And the Boss was just too precious when he went all dewy-eyed.

On the third day, she was surprised to see both Aya and the stranger appear out of the back. The strongly-built, handsome man was dressed in the clothes he’d arrived in. They walked together through the shop, neither saying anything. Mine watched them with concern from where she was standing behind the cash register. Had something happened between them?

She got her answer when they reached the door. The man turned and pulled Aya into his arms, lowering his head to give him a thorough and devastatingly sexy kiss. It made Mine feel breathless just to watch it. When he finally reluctantly pulled away from him, he reached up a large hand to stroke Aya’s hair rather possessively. “I’ll see you tonight,” he said.

Aya nodded. He watched the man walk out of the door, and he sighed a little. He looked like a man partially returning to reality from some glorious dream. He turned around and saw Mine standing very quietly behind the cash register, not wanting to disturb the mood.

Aya smiled at her cheerfully. “Ohayo, Mine, my dear,” he said, sounding pretty much like his old self. The only addition to his cheerful nature was a distinct glow about his face and eyes, and the decided spring in his step that was almost like dancing. “Are we swamped with orders? Shall I have to work very hard to catch up?”

Mine blinked, and then smiled. “There are plenty of orders, Boss,” she said. “You’ll be pretty busy today.”

“Excellent,” beamed Aya. “Then I’ll just get right on them,” and he floated away in the direction of his work room in the back, humming to himself.

Mine watched him go, glad to have the Boss back. She also felt a faint prick of jealousy, but who wouldn’t? The handsome, sexy man who’d just left was enough to make anyone feel a bit jealous of the person lucky enough to snag someone like that. Wish my love life were that good, Mine thought with a sigh.

 

Yuuji stood outside of Aya’s shop, smoking and staring out into the street. He never smoked inside of the shop or Aya’s apartment, because the designer hated the smell. He didn’t object to the fact that Yuuji smoked, as long as he did it outside. That was fine with Yuuji. He didn’t mind getting some fresh air while he got his nicotine fix.

He took a long drag on his cigarette. As soon as he’d finished it he’d go inside and give his Pretty One a kiss. That was all they’d be doing, since it was only four in the afternoon. And besides, he had a meeting with a potential client later today. There was always tonight. His lips quirked at the thought. He hadn’t seen the inside of his own apartment for more than a few minutes at a time for almost a week. Just long enough for him to grab a change of clothes or his equipment when he was going out the door to work.

Idly he looked to the left, and saw a slim boy walking towards him along the sidewalk. Normally he wouldn’t have paid any attention to passerby, but this boy bore a strong resemblance to his Pretty One. Same big eyes, although the youth’s were a soft shade of violet instead of platinum; and the same shape to their faces. This must be some close relative of Aya’s. Curious, he watched the boy approach with interest.

Yuki became aware of the stare of the man standing outside of his brother’s shop. He slowed his steps and returned the man’s intense stare, trying to think where he’d seen him before. After a moment, he remembered that the last time Hatori and Shigure had dragged him into (and out of, a few minutes later) the shop, this man had come in just as they were leaving. Yuki wondered who he was and why he was staring at him so interestedly.

“Hello.” he said uncertainly to the stranger. 

The man nodded his head and spoke around the cigarette in his teeth. “Hello. Let me guess - younger brother?”

Yuki’s brows drew together “I beg your pardon?” he said.

The man sighed “I meant, are you Sohma-san’s younger brother? You look an awful lot like him.”

Yuki stiffened. He hated to be reminded of how much he looked like his elder brother. “Yes, Aya’s my older brother,” he said with strained politeness. And who are you? He thought silently, to be asking me questions?

Yuuji read the kid’s face easily. “I’m Murosaki Yuuji,” he said. “A friend of your brother’s.”

Yuki tensed even more as he stared at Yuuji. A look of distaste flashed across his face. He knew what kind of ‘friend’ this man must be to his brother. Yuuji’s eyes narrowed as he took in the kid’s expression. Gods, he hated the little closet cases who denied their own nature while condemning others for the very ‘sin’ they longed to indulge in.

“You got a problem, kid?” he drawled coldly.

“No,” Yuki replied equally coldly. “I just came to see my brother.”

“I’m sure he’ll be thrilled,” Yuuji said ironically. He took a drag on his cigarette and folded his arms across his chest as he leaned back against the doorway and stared rudely at Yuki.

Yuki was deciding that he didn’t like this guy at all. He raised his head slightly in the haughty way he sometimes adopted when he was dealing with those he disliked, and said coolly, “So which one of his ‘friends’ are you?” the implication that Yuuji was just one in a long line was not lost on the photographer.

Yuuji’s mouth thinned. He was really starting to not like this kid at all. “I’m his one and only” he drawled. “And I’m a very GOOD friend. You should get a ‘friend’ of your own, kid; it might help your personality.”

Yuki drew back a little. “I’m not…like that,” he said.

Yuuji smirked. “Sure you’re not. And I’m Elvis Presley. Well, I AM the King,” he amended.

Yuki was, for some reason, disturbed by the sharp eyed man’s insinuations. He found himself becoming defensive under that keen blue-gray stare. “I like girls,” he said angrily, folding his hands over the front of his college uniform as he glared at Yuuji.

Yuuji nodded. “Hell, so do I,” he said in amusement. “Girls are great. I just don’t want to fuck ‘em. And I’m laying two-to-one odds that you feel the same way, junior.”

Yuki gasped when the man said the word ‘fuck’ so casually. “That’s not true,” he said, growing even angrier.

Yuuji sighed. This kid was so typical. Half the homosexuals in Japan were closet cases, marrying women and keeping male lovers on the side. Yuuji despised such hypocrisy. It wasn’t fair to either the wife or the lover. A person should just admit who and what they were, and be proud of it. Here, at least, was one instance where he could set someone straight. ‘Straight’. Heh. He grinned at his own thoughts.

“Okay, then,” he said aloud. “Do this for me, kid. Think of all the girls you know. All the ones you ‘like’. Tell me, do you want to fuck any of them? Think hard, now.”

Yuki wanted nothing more than to just walk away from this insouciant man who was questioning him so rudely, but he also wanted to refute Yuuji’s charges. So he thought of all the women he knew. There was Tohru, of course - he loved Tohru. But - the thought of having sex with her made him feel uneasy. She was like a sister. A sweet, innocent sister. All right, so not Tohru. One of the girls at school? The Prince Yuki Fan Club girls would be obliging, but they were all pretty crazy. One of the others? He knew plenty of pretty girls, and most of them would have given their eye teeth to go out with him. Surely one of them?

Yuuji grinned as he saw the uneasiness spread across the boy’s face. What’s the matter, kid? He thought sardonically. Nothing coming to mind? He spoke: “All right, let’s take this from another angle. Are there any guys you’d like to get down and dirty with? Be honest with yourself, kid.”

Yuki opened his mouth to answer disdainfully. But he was brought up short by the sudden vision of a tall boy with black and white hair and gentle mist grey eyes. The image of Haru flashed across his mind, and he gasped. Why was he thinking about Haru?

Yuuji chuckled. “I see that you thought of somebody,” he said.

“No” Yuki shook his head, trying to get the image out of his head even as he tried to deny the implications. “I’m not” he clenched his teeth and spat out the offending word, “gay.”

“Seems like wishful thinking there, kid,” Yuuji replied. “You say you’re not gay, so you’re not. It doesn’t work that way. Believe me when I tell you that you are, in fact, gay. I can always tell. My friend Aoshi-kun says I have the best gaydar in Japan.”

Yuki was surprised to find that this man was a friend of Aoshi’s. This made him feel even more upset, because Yuki rather respected Aoshi. The model had literally transformed his cousin Ritsu from an annoying, anxious creature to the sweet and stable person he was today. But surely he wasn’t right? I’m not…really I’m not…he thought rather desperately.

Seeing the anxiety in the kid’s big eyes, Yuuji took pity on him. “Listen, kid” he said far more gently, “I think I can see what’s really bugging you about this. It isn’t the being gay part. It’s the fact that you’re scared that if you admit it, you’ll become like your brother. Isn’t that so?”

Yuki was taken aback by his perceptiveness. He hated the way Aya was - his flamboyancy, his larger than life gestures and speech, how he had seemingly no control over his actions or emotions. Aya said what he liked, did what he liked, and damn the consequences. He wore women’s clothes as though that were normal. Yuki was just wretchedly embarrassed by him.

He’d always feared, deep in himself, that he was gay. His ‘girly face’ that he loathed, the way he’d looked in the dress the seniors in High School had asked him to wear for the Faire, even his own grace and style, had all made him even more fearful. He just didn’t want to end up like his brother. And because Aya was his brother, and also the most ‘out’ gay man that Yuki had ever encountered, he’d come to associate being gay with having to act like his sibling. It horrified him to the depth of his soul to imagine being like that.

Seeing that he’d struck a nerve, Yuuji waved his hand at Yuki dismissively “You don’t have to worry, kid. Not every gay man is like your brother. He’s a one of a kind original,” Yuuji said with a grin. Yuki blinked at the admiration in his voice. “Hell, most gay men tend to be more like Aoshi-kun. You’re nothing like your brother,” there was a subtle insult in his words, but Yuki didn’t pick up on it. “Even if you admit that you’re gay, you’re not going to start acting like him. So why don’t you relax and go find a guy to pull that stick out of your ass and replace it with something else.”

Yuki frowned at his crude phrasing, but there was something about Yuuji that wouldn’t allow him to ignore his words. Mountains were crumbling and rivers changing beds in the geography of Yuki’s mind. Thoughts that he’d never had before were churning in his brain. He needed to think hard about this, to try to come to terms with everything. He especially wanted to think about why he’d seen an image of Haru in his head when Yuuji had asked him to think of a guy he’d like to be with. That made him feel the most uneasy of all. He’d always taken his cousin and Haru’s ‘stalking’ for granted.

“I have to go,” he said to Yuuji. “I’ll come and see my brother some other time,” Yuuji nodded, his lips quirking as he watched the boy turn and walk slowly away. There was a kid with a lot on his mind, he thought.

Still, Yuuji mused as he dropped his finished cigarette butt and ground it out on the pavement, it couldn’t hurt. Lying to others was a necessity at times. But lying to yourself was not only a waste of time, it was a dangerous habit. People could too often convince themselves of the most spectacular untruths, and all they ever did was end up hurting themselves and others. : Good luck, kid: he thought as he pushed through the door and entered the shop


End file.
